Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1887-02-17

would probably shoot me dead on the
spot. 1t was lucky for me that the
moon rose early. for now the desert be-
gan to bc ridgy and broken, and my
second horse-which was nothing like
rs good ~ the tirst--had already had
more than one narrow escape of u very
bad stumble.
"But all at once, just rs was begin.
ming 10 think that | mast he nearing
the thirl column, heard sound that
knew only too well. the Arab war-cry
of Allah Ackbarv God is mighty.
aud in the moonlight l could see a
cloud Of white mantles and dark faces
coming right down upon me. It's won.
derful how quick mans thoughts arc
on the brink Of death. Between the
sound Of the first yell and my turning
To ily. seemed to have lived twenty
lives. But knew that had no chance.
Ny horse was no match for theirs. and
they wcre gainln: ON me evcry'mo-
ment. and there seemed To he nothing
for ii but to sell my life as dearly as l
could.
just then | caught sight of small
white dome on high mound
a little way ahead. with u
hali-ruincd wall round it, and clump
Of scvcn tall palms in front. | had
seen so many sketches of ii that l knew
il again at once. 1t was the tomb Of
some particularly holy Mohammedan
saint. into which no Arab would dare
70 venture; and knew that If / could
once get in there. was safe.
"Onc rush brought me up To gapin
the wall. and at il went, and down
came my horse. and over his head |
few like rocket; but the next mo-
ment | was up again. and had
scrambled through the low archway
right into the tomb. Just at first |
could hardly help laughing to see how
nonpluScd the rascals were. So long
n STAYED where was they couldn't
attack or even fire at me. while they
had the additional annoyance OF seeing
their sacred place occupied by IN un-
believer But. after all, ii didn't help
me much. for if they chose 10 stay still.
must come out some time. and be
killed all the same.
suddenly thought struck me. l
remembered that they had not fired at
me once, nor made any noise except the
first veil on catching sight of me. This
made me think that some of our troops
must be- not far OIL. and knew that the
sound Of firing would bring them down
al once. So | tied little tri-color sig
nal llag that always carried TO n long
reed that | found on the lloor, and pOk-
cd it up through u hole in the roof.
Just as | expected, the sight of the
French fla, on their holy place drove
them bcyou5 all patience. and although
theC wouldn't tire at the tomb itself.
they began banging away at the tri-
color with all their might. and yelling
like madmcn.
The day was Just beginning to
break. and all at once caught sight of
something glittering in the distance,
behind the Arabs. Presently, rs 1t
came nearer. could make cu' horses
and men. and the unitor2 Of our own
light cavalry. There was yell from
the Arabs, as they tried TO face about
and meet the charge; but it was too
late. In moment our fellows were
among them. rolling them over like
ninopins, and five minutes later. the
only three who remained were flying
for their lives, and was shaking hands
with the officer in command of the
squadron. who was no other than my
old schoOl-fcllOw. Victor Latlew.
"hnd so. rs You see. escaped death
by going down into the grave. "-Ddr'd
ker. ia Golden DdyS.